The present invention relates generally to medical catheters, and more particularly to an external male catheter.
At various times, men can become incontinent or bed-ridden. In such circumstances, it is desirable to collect the urine in a container for subsequent disposal rather than to wear a bulky diaper. Most commonly, a “Texas” condom catheter is used. The Texas catheter includes a condom-like sheath made of silicone rubber or latex. The sheath envelops the penis like a condom but forms a distal opening that can be connected to a hard rubber tube to a drainage bag. An adhesive glue is built into the condom to keep the condom in place, but with the slightest movement or weight of the drainage bag, the condom may come off.
During urination, the urine passes through the drainage tube for collection in the bag. The bag may be attached to the patient's leg or bed depending upon the circumstances. The sheath may vary in size to improve fit, despite this the sheaths are usually too small or too large. Leakage and skin irritation are common problems. Keeping urine off the skin can prevent skin breakdown and irritation. Additionally, as application of the catheter is commonly performed by healthcare personnel, application can be difficult, cumbersome and awkward resulting in improper placement and function. For ambulatory patients, the leakage problems increase significantly.
Many efforts have been made at addressing these problems but none have proven successful or commercially viable. For example, a common approach has been to utilize a garment with an integral sheath. By elasticizing the garment, improved support and positioning may occur. However, application can become very difficult, particularly with bed-ridden patients. One example of such technology having a leg bag is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,487 issued to Gerow on Sep. 18, 1990, which is attached hereto.